The Minnesota Timberwolves were not hiding how badly they hoped to land superstar Kevin Durant, but he was not interested in joining the organization.
Just days before the NBA Draft, Durant was traded from the Phoenix Suns to the Houston Rockets, forcing the Timberwolves to continue building their roster in smaller ways through the 2025 NBA Draft and free agency. A surprising decision in Wednesday’s draft, however, could lead to a much more significant move this summer.
Minnesota selected French center Joan Beringer with the No. 17 pick in the draft, potentially putting All-Star center Rudy Gobert’s future with the team in jeopardy.
Are the Timberwolves Preparing to Trade Rudy Gobert?
For those unfamiliar with Beringer’s skillset, he is an athletic big man who is an elite rim-runner and finisher and consistently shows strong defensive flashes. He is not the most offensively gifted player, however, and often looks uncomfortable with the ball in his hands.
Sound familiar, Timberwolves fans? Beringer is an incredibly similar player to Gobert but is significantly younger and could become a core piece of the next supporting cast for Anthony Edwards.
With Julius Randle, Naz Reid, Gobert, and Beringer in the same frontcourt, the depth feels like overkill. Unless the front office is expecting to lose one of the earlier two in free agency, Gobert is arguably the most expendable of the bunch.
It is clear Gobert is not viewing the front office’s decision that way, as immediately after the pick he posted to his X account a trio of emojis that consisted of the French flag, prayer hands, and a wolf.
🇫🇷🙏🏽🐺
— Rudy Gobert (@rudygobert27) June 26, 2025
Moving on from Gobert may not come right away, as Beringer is an incredibly raw prospect who is in need of mentorship. He only began playing organized basketball three years ago.
Not to mention, Gobert still has two guaranteed seasons left on his three-year, $109 million contract, which he signed in October 2024. The veteran also holds a $38 million player option for the 2028 campaign. Minnesota would ideally cut ties with Gobert prior to when he is able to accept that option.
Yahoo! Sports’ Kevin O’Connor broke down Beringer’s undeveloped game, writing, “Beringer began playing basketball only three years ago, which makes him a raw project, but also makes his natural talents all the more impressive. He’s a center but has the quickness of a guard, giving him immense defensive versatility to build on for years to come.”
He compared the French big man to Clint Capela and Nerlens Noel. If Beringer is able to develop his offensive game to a similar level as Capela while establishing himself as one of the league’s best interior defenders, it will make the decision to trade Gobert so much easier.
